Chapter 54
Yin Qiu moved a small wooden table under the window and practiced calligraphy for a while by the light of day. She also flipped through the books that Nangong Min had given her, feeling inexplicably restless.
The Xuan paper was covered with many poems that had been learned in school, as well as many names of the poem "Man Jiang Xue". Yin Qiu sighed as she held the pen, leaned back in her chair, and stared blankly at the red maple leaves outside the window.
She had thought that she would encounter some danger after arriving at the Ziwei Sect, but she never expected that Nangong Min would treat her so well these days. He would grant her almost every request and do whatever she wanted. He even allowed her to move around freely and go wherever she wanted, without restricting her freedom in the slightest.
In his spare time, Nangong Min not only taught Yin Qiu to practice calligraphy and memorize texts, but also instructed her in swordsmanship. When the two were together, Nangong Min always maintained a smile and closeness. However, since Yin Qiu moved into the inner palace, no one has used the hot spring anymore, and even the young and beautiful women seemed to have vanished into thin air, never to come to the palace again.
Yin Qiu was bored out of her mind. Sometimes she would lie on the table and write or draw, and sometimes she would sit up and stare blankly. She was so bored that she felt uncomfortable all over.
She had long been accustomed to life in Yunhua Palace, studying and practicing swordsmanship on time every day. Now that she had come to Ziwei Sect, although her schedule was not disrupted, everything was different. No one cared about her, and there was nothing she had to do. She could arrange everything herself. This kind of life made Yin Qiu feel lost and extremely wasteful of time.
There weren't many people in the hall, only a few maids waiting by the side. Nangong Min was nowhere to be found. Yin Qiu was restless and had no choice but to put down his pen and get up, intending to go outside for a walk.
"Where is the young master going?" a maid immediately asked.
Yin Qiu looked at her and said, "I want to go out for some fresh air."
The maid quickly fetched an outer robe and draped it over Yin Qiu, saying with a smile, "Your Highness must be bored in the palace. I'll fetch your sword right away. How about you practice your swordsmanship in the courtyard for a while?"
Yin Qiu nodded and replied "Okay." The maid then brought a small, short sword and accompanied Yin Qiu out of the palace.
As Yin Qiu practiced her sword, she remembered that she had missed the martial arts test, and naturally she thought of Fu Xiang again. She wondered how Fu Xiang was doing in the palace after she was captured and brought to the Ziwei Sect, and whether Meng Jing and the others had worried about her.
Yin Qiu was not in high spirits. After wielding the sword a few times, he lost his energy and sat on the steps, sighing repeatedly.
The maid who had been standing to one side asked Yin Qiu, "Is Your Highness in a bad mood?"
Yin Qiu propped her head up with her arm and hummed in agreement.
"Shall we, your servants, play with you? What do you usually like to play?"
Yin Qiu thought for a moment and shook her head.
"Have you ever played hide-and-seek, my lady?"
Yin Qiu did not react.
"How about I go find a kite, Your Highness?"
Yin Qiu sighed deeply and said listlessly, "Leave me alone, I don't want to play anything."
The maid had been serving Yin Qiu for the past few days and found that Yin Qiu was good-tempered and quiet, so she was not too reserved and said with a smile, "Then why don't you tell me how you can be happier? If the sect leader comes back and sees you like this, he will punish us for not serving you well."
Yin Qiu tilted her head and looked at her: "Are you teaching your master?"
The maid replied, "He went to the Magnolia Hall early this morning. The sect leader usually practices here, but now that you're staying here, he's gone to practice elsewhere."
Yin Qiu was finally piqued by her words and asked curiously, "What kind of kung fu does she practice? Can't I see it?"
The maid paused, then smiled somewhat reluctantly: "This... I'm afraid it's not suitable to see."
Seeing her reaction, Yin Qiu became even more curious: "Is it some kind of evil technique?"
"What evil martial arts are there?" The maid covered her mouth and chuckled. "Although people in the martial arts world say that our Ziwei Sect is an evil sect, it's all nonsense. How can you say that the sect leader practices evil martial arts just because of those rumors?"
Yin Qiu said, "Then why won't you tell me why I can't watch it?"
The maid hesitated for a while before finally saying, "On the night when Your Highness woke up... did you see the hot spring in the palace?"
Yin Qiu remembered it vividly and said, "I've seen it. Lots of pretty ladies were taking a bath inside."
The maid looked around and, seeing that no one was passing by, whispered, "That's not a bath; the cult leader is practicing his martial arts."
Yin Qiu was taken aback, and asked strangely, "Practice your skills by watching someone bathe?" She scratched her head, "What kind of skill requires watching someone bathe to learn?"
"This servant doesn't know," the maid smiled, somewhat embarrassed. "This servant has never learned martial arts and doesn't know what the leader practices, but judging from the way he practices, it's not appropriate for you to see it, so the leader changed the location."
No wonder Nangong Min has been leaving early and returning late these past two days, and those young women haven't come over either; it turns out that's why.
Yin Qiu said awkwardly, "Oh...I see. Actually, I wasn't really interested in watching it..."
After she finished speaking, she suddenly noticed a strange young woman standing at the gate of the courtyard, seemingly observing her from a distance, but she turned and left after a short while.
Yin Qiu glanced at her retreating figure and asked, "Who's that?"
The maid followed her gaze and replied, "It's Protector Qin, one of the Four Protectors. She's the one who brought you back this time. She's done a great service and is currently very popular. She's a favorite of the sect leader."
"She brought me back?" Yin Qiu asked in surprise. "Wasn't it Wen Chaoyu?"
The maid said, "How could it be Protector Wen? Protector Wen was seriously injured and has been recuperating for many days. Moreover, on the day you arrived, I personally saw Protector Qin carrying you back."
Yin Qiu paused for a moment, then said, "Where does Wen Chaoyu live? Can I go see her?"
The maid glanced at the sky and said, "If Your Highness wishes to go, I can lead the way for you, but we cannot linger too long, lest the Master be displeased."
Yin Qiu stood up, patted her skirt, and said, "Okay, let's go."
·
After taking the medicine, Wen Chaoyu sat on the couch to meditate and regulate her breathing. She was covered in cold sweat and her face was pale. Several charcoal fires were burning in the room, but the cold air in her body kept surging out. She was so cold that she could not calm down and could not stop trembling no matter how many clothes she wore.
There was a light knock on the door twice. Wen Chaoyu opened her eyes and saw Qin Zheng push the door open and come in. As soon as she saw her, she smiled and said, "Protector Wen, are you healing your injuries?"
Wen Chaoyu looked at her indifferently: "What are you doing here?"
Qin Zheng took out two small wooden boxes from her sleeve and placed them on the table, saying, "These are the good medicine for treating internal injuries that I mentioned to you last time. It was a gift from the sect leader to me, but I haven't had a chance to use it for so long. Now that Protector Wen's injuries have worsened, I brought them to you. Please give them a try."
Wen Chaoyu didn't even glance at it: "Take it away, I don't need it."
“Yes, it is necessary,” Qin Zheng said. “If we don’t take good care of ourselves, we might develop chronic illnesses, which would be a loss. Why make things difficult for ourselves?”
Wen Chaoyu sneered, "You came here for more than just delivering medicine."
Qin Zheng smiled knowingly and said, "Of course nothing can be hidden from your discerning eyes. I have indeed come here today to discuss something with you."
Wen Chaoyu remained silent.
Qin Zheng then cut to the chase: "Since that child was brought back, the sect leader has been focusing his attention on her these past few days. He only briefly asked me a couple of questions about what happened that day, without saying much else. I think the sect leader will summon you in the next couple of days. Protector Wen is a smart man; he should know how to report to the sect leader, right?"
Wen Chaoyu said expressionlessly, "I don't need you to come all the way here to remind me. I know what I'm doing."
This person came with a smile and fawned over her, simply hoping that Wen Chaoyu wouldn't go back on her word. Now everyone in the Ziwei Sect knows that Yin Qiu was brought back by Qin Zheng after overcoming countless difficulties. If Wen Chaoyu suddenly changes her attitude and tells the truth, then Qin Zheng will have nowhere to hide her face.
Even though she had Ji Wanshu as leverage, Qin Zheng knew very well that it was nothing new for Wen Chaoyu to show leniency towards Ji Wanshu, and Nangong Min had always turned a blind eye. Even if she revealed what happened that day, Nangong Min might not necessarily hold Wen Chaoyu accountable. In short, Qin Zheng had gained a huge advantage this time. Although Wen Chaoyu had suffered in silence, she would still choose to swallow her anger for Ji Wanshu's sake.
Upon hearing Wen Chaoyu's reply, Qin Zheng knew that her goal had been achieved, so she said no more, exchanged a few polite words, and then closed the door and left.
Wen Chaoyu sneered to herself, then thought of that bastard Ji Wanshu, and her head throbbed with anger.
She was too tired to meditate and regulate her breathing anymore. Just as she was about to unfold the bedding and go to sleep, she heard the door being pushed open again. Wen Chaoyu clicked her tongue in extreme impatience and glanced to the side. She saw a little girl in red standing by the door, peeking at her.
·
"Oh, isn't this our esteemed young leader?"
Wen Chaoyu leaned against the headboard, her tone somewhat teasing.
Yin Qiu rolled her eyes at her and went into the room.
Wen Chaoyu looked at her and said, "What are you doing here?"
Seeing her calm and composed demeanor, Yin Qiu felt a surge of anger and said in an unfriendly tone, "You've arrested me so many times, and this time you finally succeeded. Are you satisfied now?"
Wen Chaoyu smiled and said, "Satisfied, of course I'm satisfied."
Yin Qiu snorted and pulled up a chair to sit down, saying, "Are you really satisfied? But I heard from others that you weren't the hero this time. You were the one who sneaked into Yunhua Palace that day, so why are they all saying that the person who brought me back was that Qin Protector?"
Wen Chaoyu glanced at her, but had no intention of fooling her, so she told Yin Qiu everything that happened after she met Ji Wanshu that day.
"So you backed down because of Senior Sister Ji?" Yin Qiu looked at Wen Chaoyu thoughtfully and said, "That means you care about her quite a bit, so why have you been avoiding her all this time?"
"What do you know, you're just a little kid?" Wen Chaoyu clearly didn't want to talk to her about Ji Wanshu any further.
Yin Qiu paused, then deliberately asked, "Aren't you afraid I'll tell Nangong Min the truth?"
Hearing this, Wen Chaoyu chuckled softly: "If you want to say it, I can't stop you, but..." She glanced at Yin Qiu a few times, "Once you tell, the sect leader will think that Wan Shu is my weakness. She won't do anything to me, but Wan Shu will be in danger, understand?"
Yin Qiu understood perfectly well; she wasn't a three-year-old. But she still pretended to be indifferent and said, "Senior Sister Ji is the chief disciple. Even you can't beat her. Even if Nangong Min wanted to do something to her, Senior Sister Ji wouldn't be in any danger."
Wen Chaoyu had already experienced Yin Qiu's sharp tongue. This little girl was young and appeared gentle and harmless, but she was actually just as cunning as an adult and should not be underestimated.
Wen Chaoyu said, "You're quite cunning. So tell me, what do you want?"
Yin Qiu immediately said, "I want to go back to Yunhua Palace."
Wen Chaoyu scoffed: "Impossible."
“You’re the one who brought me to Ziwei Training Center,” Yin Qiu said. “You have to take responsibility for me and return me to my place.”
“You’re not the only one I’m responsible for,” Wen Chaoyu said. “Besides, I went to great lengths to get you out, so there’s no reason for me to take you back. Who do you think I am, someone who’s got nothing better to do than mess around with things?”
Yin Qiu observed her expression and said, "You don't need to take me out yourself. Just tell me secretly if there's any way to leave here."
Wen Chaoyu said, "Why are you in such a hurry? Man Jiangxue will come to save you sooner or later. Even if I tell you the way out, you can't escape with your limited abilities. You might as well wait for Man Jiangxue. If you don't behave, the sect leader will definitely lock you up. Once you lose your freedom, it won't be so easy for Man Jiangxue to find you."
Yin Qiu fell silent after hearing what she said, but finally couldn't hold back her anger and snapped, "I hate you! You bad woman!"
Wen Chaoyu smiled but remained silent.
Yin Qiu paced back and forth in the room, and finally said, "If you don't want to help me, then at least you can deliver a message to my martial uncle for me, right?"
Wen Chaoyu stared at her calmly and repeated, "Impossible."
"Can't I even deliver a message?"
“I’m so badly injured I can’t even walk,” Wen Chaoyu said. “What’s more, if I were to deliver a message to Man Jiangxue, wouldn’t she beat me to death on the spot? Besides, I don’t even know where she is, so how am I supposed to find her?”
Yin Qiu thought for a moment and said, "Nangong Min said that my martial aunt has already left Yunhua Palace. Judging from the days, she should have arrived in Hezhou City by now. Why don't you go to the city to find her?" At this point, she pondered again, "My martial aunt and Senior Sister Ji will definitely find a secluded inn to stay in and then discuss how to save me. You can ask around and the innkeeper will definitely remember their appearances. Then you can quietly leave my letter in their room. It's very simple."
Wen Chaoyu was both amused and exasperated: "You're quite clever."
"Please help me this once, okay?" Yin Qiu rushed to the bedside and grabbed Wen Chaoyu's sleeve. "It's true that asking you to help me escape will implicate you, but sending a letter will be done secretly, and no one will know. Just consider it compensation for how badly you've hurt me, okay?"
Wen Chaoyu didn't answer, but her eyes conveyed a sense of "you're not so bad off."
Seeing that she remained silent, Yin Qiu hesitated for a moment, then moved a little closer to Wen Chaoyu, her clear eyes filled with a pleading look, and said in a soft voice, "Uncle Wen..."
Wen Chaoyu's head started throbbing again in an instant.
I wonder where she learned this skill of coaxing and deceiving.
What kind of nonsense does Yunhua Palace teach?!
After a long while, Wen Chaoyu finally couldn't bear Yin Qiu's pitiful yet expectant gaze any longer, and sighed, "Alright, what do you want to say to her?"
Yin Qiu cheered, opened her arms and hugged Wen Chaoyu, then rushed to the desk and sat down, overjoyed, saying, "Wait a minute, I'll start writing now!"
Looking at how quickly she wrote, Wen Chaoyu instantly regretted her actions.
Children are truly a weapon to subdue her.
·
As night fell, Hezhou City was bustling with activity. The streets were filled with people out for a stroll, and the city was ablaze with lights and shadows, filled with laughter and chatter.
Ji Wanshu, with a sesame seed cake in her mouth and a long sword in her arms, waited at the entrance of the pigeon station. Soon, a tall and slender woman in black emerged from inside. Her black veil fluttered gently, partially obscuring her slightly pursed red lips, which were reflected on the thin blade of the dagger at her waist. Her cold demeanor was tinged with a subtle and elegant beauty. Although her full face was not visible, she still caught the eye of passersby on the street.
"Has the letter been sent out?" Ji Wanshu asked, taking a bite of her sesame seed cake.
“Hmm,” Man Jiangxue lifted her black veil and stood under the unlit corridor. “Having been away from the palace for many days, I should let my senior sister, the sect leader, know that I am safe.”
Ji Wanshu understood, took out a parchment drawing from her sleeve, and said, "Then when do we begin our operation?"
Man Jiangxue glanced at the blueprint, pondered for a moment, and said, "No rush. Let's investigate tonight first. If the terrain of the Ziwei Sect's headquarters matches this blueprint, we can then discuss it further."
Yesterday, the little girl left this drawing and then ran away. Even Ji Wanshu couldn't catch up with her. Although they didn't know who she was or what her purpose was, if the drawing was genuine, then it really helped them a lot this time.
The next step is to go to the Ziwei Sect at midnight to compare the drawing with the actual one.
The two left the place side by side and returned to the inn. Man Jiangxue pushed open the door and lit a candle. Before she could call the servant to bring hot water, she saw a letter on the table.
Ji Wanshu was about to return to her room when she noticed Man Jiangxue pause in her movements and asked, "What's wrong?"
Man Jiangxue turned to the side, picked up the letter, and looked at it.
"A letter?" Ji Wanshu immediately entered the room. "Who delivered it?"
Man Jiangxue didn't answer. She took out the letter inside and looked at it. After seeing what was written on it, her expression changed.
"It was written by Yin Qiu."
Upon hearing this, Ji Wanshu also showed surprise and asked in astonishment, "She was actually able to send a letter out... How did she do that?"
Man Jiangxue remained silent, staring at the handwriting again and again.
Seeing that she didn't react for a long time and didn't say what was written in the letter, Ji Wanshu became a little anxious: "What did Yin Qiu say?"
Then Man Jiangxue suddenly chuckled and handed her the letter: "Read it yourself."
Ji Wanshu looked at Man Jiangxue suspiciously, then took the letter and saw that it only contained two lines of poetry.
"You ask when I will return, but there is no set date; the autumn rain in Bashan swells the pond at night..." Ji Wanshu recited it once, then turned to look at the snow-covered river. "What does it mean?"
The candlelight flickered, like a hazy glow, dimly illuminating Man Jiangxue's face, making her fair skin and beautiful features appear even more striking, and her eyes sparkling like stars.
She slightly curled the corners of her mouth, looked at the wide-open window, and said, "It seems that her situation in the Ziwei Sect is much better than I thought."
Ji Wanshu held the letter in her hand, her face full of curiosity: "...How did you figure that out?"
Man Jiangxue glanced at her, sighed, and said, "Wan Shu, no matter how well you practice your kung fu, you still need to study."
Ji Wanshu: "..."
Ji Wanshu: "So how did you figure that out?"
Author's Note: Looking at the dwindling number of drafts and my own writer's block, I'm going bald.
The moon sets over the western river, tears streaming down my face.
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